Quartz Glass vs Borosilicate Glass-Eva
2026/07/10
Quartz Glass vs Borosilicate Glass: Material & Application Environment Comparison
1. Differences in Material Composition
Fused quartz glass is made of high-purity silicon dioxide with SiO₂ purity over 99.9%, barely containing impurities. It is a high-end special glass melted at temperatures above 1600°C. Complex purification and processing procedures lead to higher material and production costs.
Borosilicate glass (3.3 borosilicate) is a composite glass material. It contains around 80% silicon dioxide, 13% boron oxide and a small amount of alumina. Boron oxide greatly reduces its thermal expansion coefficient. Its melting point is only 820°C, supporting mass production with low cost and competitive market price.
2. Core Performance & Applicable Working Environments
2.1 High Temperature Resistance & Thermal Shock Resistance
Quartz glass can work stably at 1100–1200°C for a long time and withstand instantaneous high temperature up to 1600°C. Its ultra-low thermal expansion coefficient prevents cracking under rapid temperature changes. Ideal scenarios: high-temperature tube furnaces, semiconductor diffusion equipment, high-temperature sintering furnaces, infrared heating devices and other ultra-high-temperature industrial equipment.
Borosilicate glass has a long-term service temperature limit of 450°C, with a softening point at 820°C. It will deform permanently if exposed to over 500°C for long hours and only tolerate temperature fluctuation within 300°C. Ideal scenarios: standard lab glassware, baking cookware, low & medium temperature chemical pipelines, pharmaceutical packaging and other room/mild-temperature applications.
2.2 Chemical Corrosion Resistance
Quartz glass features outstanding chemical inertness. Only hydrofluoric acid and hot concentrated phosphoric acid can corrode it. It keeps stable against strong acids, alkalis and organic solvents without ion precipitation, making it suitable for high-purity chemical processing, semiconductor precision production and experiments with corrosive reagents.
Borosilicate glass resists dilute acid and weak alkali, yet it will be eroded slowly by concentrated alkali or hot corrosive liquid. It only meets basic anti-corrosion demands of common labs and medical packaging, and cannot be used in high-purity corrosive production lines.
2.3 Optical Transmittance Performance
Quartz glass transmits deep ultraviolet, visible light and near-infrared rays. It is the exclusive material for UV sterilization lamps, UV curing equipment, spectrometers and optical windows.
Borosilicate glass only passes visible light and blocks ultraviolet rays below 300nm, so it cannot support UV-related optical equipment.
2.4 Hardness & Cleanliness
Quartz glass scores 7 on Mohs hardness scale, wear-resistant and scratch-proof, perfect for semiconductor factories and ultra-clean optical labs. Borosilicate glass is Mohs 5.5, prone to surface scratches, suitable for general lab and daily-use products.
3. Industry Selection Guide
Choose Quartz Glass If You Have These Demands
1. Semiconductor, photovoltaic high-temperature production, wafer carriers and diffusion tubes
2. UV disinfection lamps, ultraviolet experiments, optical instruments
3. Furnaces over 1000°C, crystal sintering, high-temperature observation windows
4. High-purity chemical reaction vessels with strong corrosive media
Choose Borosilicate Glass If You Have These Demands
1. Common lab beakers, flasks, condensers and thermometers
2. Pharmaceutical glass bottles and ampoules
3. Oven bakeware, low-temperature solar heat pipes, general chemical pipelines
4. Medium-low temperature equipment sight glasses and ordinary insulating glass parts
4. Cost & Purchasing Suggestions
The cost of quartz glass is 3–5 times higher than borosilicate glass due to complicated purification and high-temperature processing. Borosilicate glass enjoys mass production advantages with high cost performance for clients without high-temperature or UV requirements.
If your working condition involves ultra-high temperature, ultraviolet light or high-purity anti-corrosion requirements, quartz glass is irreplaceable. For regular room and medium-temperature daily and laboratory use, borosilicate glass can fully satisfy your demands.
Conclusion
Though both are heat-resistant glass, quartz and borosilicate glass differ greatly in purity, temperature tolerance, optical property and anti-corrosion ability, and they cannot replace each other arbitrarily. When placing orders, confirm your equipment working temperature, ultraviolet usage, chemical medium corrosivity and purity standards first to select the correct glass material and avoid cracking, impurity contamination or optical failure during operation.
